Even Sadie Sink Was Confused By Spider-Man: Brand New Days Biggest Twist: “Much Better”
In Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the web head crosses paths with several villains from the comics, but the film’s primary antagonist is not a member of Spider-Man’s iconic rogues gallery. Throughout the narrative, Peter Parker finds himself at odds with Jean Grey, a young mutant with a traumatic past who’s attempting to unravel the mystery of what happened between her sister Sara and the Department of Damage Control. Early on in Brand New Day, the term “V-Max” is mentioned, seemingly planting the seeds for some kind of MacGuffin. It’s what Jean is after, and the truth behind it made the Brand New Day story so much better.
Speaking with Variety after Brand New Day‘s record-breaking week at the box office, Jean Grey actress Sadie Sink shared her reaction to the V-Max twist. Instead of being a piece of technology or some kind of weapon, it’s a reference to the vent Sara saw in her DODC cell right before she died. “Well, at first, I was like, ‘Is the sister in the vent?’ [Laughs.] Then I kept on reading the script, and I was like, ‘Oh my god, wait, that’s so much better that it means absolutely nothing,’” she said. “I remember in the original script there was more dialogue surrounding the realization that it meant nothing. Jean had lines where she was talking it out loud. Then, on the day, it was kind of like, ‘Oh no, I think it just needs to be a look.’ It’s gonna be clearer, like you don’t really need to speak it through. I like that that’s the thing that unleashes her, just that anger over all of it being for nothing.”
She continued, “I think, also, she kind of knew that her sister was gone. She’s been hanging on to this last piece of information, but I think she knows that it’s a long shot that she’s even still around. So, it was just kind of like the final trigger for her or the final confirmation.”
The V-Max Twist Is Why Spider-Man: Brand New Day Is Such a Great MCU Movie
When sharing his thoughts on Brand New Day, Spider-Man comic writer J. Michael Straczynski praised the film for avoiding typical comic book movie tropes by eschewing a plot that revolves around a standard MacGuffin. He feels Brand New Day works as well as it does because the story is driven more by the characters and the journeys they go through. This is most apparent in Peter Parker’s arc, as the friendly neighborhood hero falls further and further into a depressing state of isolation following the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, but Jean’s story is what really brings everything full circle. V-Max could have easily been something tangible Jean was trying to get her hands on, but the ultimate reveal in the film is much more powerful on an emotional level.
Jean isn’t a stereotypical comic book movie villain in Brand New Day. Much like Peter, she spends most of the movie feeling lost and alone, and all she cares about is finding her sister. Most viewers probably aren’t going to agree with Jean’s methods, though her motivations are understandable, rooted in something relatable. Discovering that Sara was experimented on and tortured by the DODC, dying due to their harsh methods, was a cruel twist of the knife that pushed Jean over the edge. In a brief flashback sequence, Jean seemed to have a positive relationship with Sara, as the siblings bonded over their mutant powers and attempted to hone them together. Jean probably saw reuniting with Sara as her lone chance for a “normal” life, feeling cast aside because her parents abandoned their children.
The V-Max reveal is what makes the ending between Peter and Jean so satisfying. Through her connection with Peter, Jean realizes she isn’t actually alone. She’ll always have Peter in her corner because he knows what it’s like to endure hard times and personal loss. The experience is also what makes Peter realize he can’t continue on his lonely path, and he promises Aunt May he isn’t going to do this alone anymore. In many ways, Peter and Jean are mirror images of each other in Brand New Day as they struggle to process trauma. For most of the film, Jean comes across as a dark version of what Peter could become if he doesn’t make some necessary lifestyle changes. Peter re-learns the value of connections. You always need someone you can lean on.
Brand New Day illustrates how the Tom Holland-led Spider-Man series has matured as it’s gone on. Aesthetically and narratively, it feels very different from the three solo Spider-Man movies that came before, grounding itself in heart-wrenching emotion that’s clearly resonated with audiences around the globe. A film doesn’t get on the path to $2 billion worldwide unless it really clicks with viewers. Hopefully, the success of Brand New Day will pave the way for future Spider-Man films to continue this approach, focusing more on character than generic plot items.
